Tag: skincare review

Over the past couple of months, I’ve been exploring the world of Fresh products and I have to say – it’s done wonders for my skin. Because of this, I thought it was only natural that I share my favorite products with you.

Over the past couple of months, I’ve been exploring the world of Fresh products and I have to say – it’s done wonders for my skin. I’ve mentioned on the blog how much my skin has changed throughout the years, but there are some things that have always been “problem areas.” Some things I’ve struggled with include texture, congestion, and acne. While I am still fairly oily, the evenness of my complexion, as well as most of my acne, has cleared up.

Because of this, I thought it was only natural that I share my favorite products with you. Be prepared because there’s quite a few.

I’ve mentioned this cleanser on the blog before, so I’ll try not to drone on. A couple of weeks ago, I decided to switch cleansers and I have no regrets. If I’m honest, in the past, I was very against this face wash because I was positive that I was allergic to soy. I’m glad I decided to give it a second chance because it’s been very kind to my skin. I understand why it’s a bestseller.

This is a more recent discovery from my good friend, Laura. I was so surprised at how much I truly love this exfoliator. If you have dry skin, this will be your favorite exfoliator. It’s made with brown sugar, grapeseed and citrus oils that leave your skin nourished even after exfoliating, which oftentimes can dry your skin. While I have oily skin, I really enjoy this because it leaves my skin feeling very smooth and soft.

Oily girls unite! This is a gel cream moisturizer that soaks nicely into your skin. It contains hyaluronic acid, which is supposed to plump and hydrate your skin. Also, if you’re into anti-aging, hyaluronic acid is great for that as well. Being that it also has rosewater as an ingredient, it will help to calm down any redness and reduce inflammation with its antibacterial properties.

I’ve included another moisturizer for my dry girls. In case you are looking for something thicker – without being heavy – this is the moisturizer is perfect to you. It contains vitamins C, E, and B5, which will give you that glow you’re looking for. I’m a big fan of this because of the fact that it’s so lightweight that you’d mistake it for a gel. After putting it on, I noticed my skin was brighter and hydrated.

If you have oily skin, you’re going to want to skip over this. For anyone that strives for radiant skin, this mask is for you. I’m so enamored with this product that I use it before any event. It has a unique blend of kombu seaweed flakes, red algae particles and lotus seeds that exfoliates and leaves your skin very smooth.

For making it to the end, I have a giveaway for you! There was no way that I could make a list of my favorites without sharing them with you all. One lucky winner will get the Soy Face Cleanser and Rose Deep Hydration Face Cream – both full sized! All you have to do to enter is comment your favorite skincare tip down below. For a second entry, you can follow my Instagram account @Kat_Pierre and leave a comment with a rose emoji on the post with the picture below. Giveaway closes on November 30, 2018, at 12 p.m.

A few months back, I decided to take advantage of the PERK Hydrating Facial at Sephora in Tyson’s Corner. Let me tell you, it was a fantastic experience, especially for it being my first facial ever.

What it is

In case you haven’t heard about it, Sephora has recently started offering 30-minute facials in select stores. While hydrating your skin, the facial will offer exfoliation and nourishment for your skin. It’s complimentary with a $75 purchase, which makes it a great opportunity to stock up on your skincare. You’re able to go do a walk-in or sign up online, which is super-convenient for anytime your skin needs a “perk.

My Experience

Before getting into it, a Sephora consultant will measure hydration levels with what they call a “Moisture Meter.” Though I didn’t snap a picture of my exact number, I was informed that I had dehydrated skin. So, while I was oily, my skin was needing some moisture. Good thing I was getting a hydra facial.

To begin, my favorite skincare goddess, Laura Arzate, cleansed my skin. She used the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser – great for all skin types, as it doesn’t strip the skin of moisture, but leaves your skin feeling soft. For lack of a better word, it left me feeling – fresh. I have to be honest, at first, I wasn’t sure about how I felt about it, but eventually, I fell in love with it and it’s become a household favorite. My mom started to use it and she loves it!

Then it was time for the actual treatment. The machine uses two steps to refresh your skin. First, the Sephora consultant will go in the Nourishing Solution. While nourishing the skin, the pen-shaped tool acts like a vacuum and sucks the impurities from your skin. As scary as that may sound, it’s not painful whatsoever. In fact, there are three different intensities that you can choose from. I decided to stick with the lowest setting as it was my first facial.

Next, we went in with the “Eye Replenishing Serum.” The serum offers hydrating nutrients that not only plumps the skin but moisturizes and replenishes the skin. It runs over your entire face, including your lips, and feels quite nice.

Final Thoughts

No matter how well you take care of your skin or how many scary movies you watch, nothing will prepare you to see what impurities are removed from your skin. After you complete your facial, the consultant will allow you to take a look at your “waste” and it may be a little shocking. Being able to actually see what comes out of your skin, while being completely gross, is very satisfying.

Overall, I noticed a visible difference in my skin after the treatment was complete. My skin felt and looked fantastic afterward. It was much brighter and smoother than what I’ve ever accomplished by myself at home.

If you need to restock, it’s definitely worth it to take advantage of the Sephora PERK Hydrating Facial. You’ll be able to leave with bright, smooth skin and a bag of your favorite goodies.

Let’s take a step back into 2008. President Barak Obama was making his way into office, Beyoncé released the epic feminist anthem, “If I Were a Boy,” and I was getting my first pimple. Dun. Dun. Dun.

At 13 years old, you can imagine my first pimple seeming like the end of the world. How would that boy in my class like me with a zit the size of Texas on my forehead?

I’m happy to say that not only have my priorities changed, but so has the condition of my skin. I’ve, of course, had my ups and downs through my skin journey. I’m grateful for all my humps in the road because it forced me to learn more about skincare.

With my finicky skin, I’ve developed a fascination with ingredients and how they meet different skin concerns. Also, as an avid reader I’ve always been a sucker for a good story. That’s why my visit to the SephoraTysons Corner Mall was so special.

I was invited to sit in and join reps from Fresh Beauty, Caudalie and Sunday Riley for an in-store pampering event. This included a custom mini-service, which included a double cleanse from one brand, mask from a second and a treatment and moisturizer from the last. I also got the chance to have story times with all of the reps from each of the brands. If it’s not obvious, I immediately jumped at the chance.

I began my pampering session with Fresh from Sales and Education Coordinator for Fresh, Laura Arzate. Fresh is an amazing brand that uses a lot of natural ingredients, like seaberry oil, sugar, sake and more! Laura was incredibly sweet and started me out by testing my skin to really gauge my skin type. To my surprise, she marked my skin as “normal/dry.” I always thought I was just oily!

The story of the brand is pretty amazing. It all started in their OG apothecary store in Boston, “Nuts about Beauty,” where they created and sold a number of natural beauty products, including their famous oval soap. Also, with some research, I found that the founders, Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg, were the first to use sugar as an exfoliant! (Now we see sugar as an exfoliant for our face, lips and skin! Talk about a revolutionary innovation!) They’ve always been very passionate about skincare rituals, which shows with their lines that they’ve come out with to today. One bar of soap turned into some of my favorite products, like the Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask, Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment and more. This year, Fresh is celebrating 25 years of innovation.

We went into the double cleanse, where she started off with the Seaberry Skin Nutrition Cleansing Oil. She explained that she wanted to get my skin clean, without stripping my natural oils, which is why this was perfect. It really helped to cleanse my face and give me some (much needed!) hydration.

Then she finished cleansing with the Soy Face Cleanser. (Did you know that Soy Skincare was first introduced in 1999?) Soy is rich with anti-oxidants, which are said to soften skin while maintaining elasticity. It’s also good for sensitive skin because it contains cucumber and rosewater, which are calming and soothing ingredients for your skin. I’m interested in trying this one out some more because I had a weird reaction several years ago when I first tried it. When we tried it this time around, I didn’t see any breakouts or irritation, so that’s a definite plus!

I scooted over to Caudalie, where we went into exfoliating my skin. I learned more about the brand from the rep, Amy Schaeffer! The story of Caudalie begins in France with a couple. What you would be surprised to learn is their products are very eco-friendly. You won’t find any preservatives or animal by-products. I even got to learn what the deal was with the grapes. Apparently in 1993, they met with Professor Joseph Vercauteren, who shared his amazing discovery. A special nutrient, called phenolic compounds, that were extracted from grape seeds, which are significantly more effective than Vitamin E. (In case you don’t know, Vitamin E is great for reducing wrinkles, nourishes, lightens dark marks and much more!)

Over at Caudalie, we went into their Instant Detox Mask, which I have to say, I really love. It contains clay, but I didn’t get that tight, drying feeling that I’ve experienced with others. This has to do with the grape seed in it! My skin felt very soft when we got it all rinsed off. (I’m definitely going to purchase this for myself soon!)

We finished off with a couple spurts of the famous Beauty Elixir, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary. (Here’s where you can get the elixir with the special 20th anniversary packaging.) If you haven’t tried it yet, I’m going to advise you to immediately go into your nearest Sephora and try it out. I immediately fell in love with the toning spray because of its minty scent.

After that, I finished off at Sunday Riley for some treatment and (Apparently much needed!) hydration! I got to learn about Sunday herself and her story when building her brand from Jennifer Hatton. (AKA the girl with perfect skin.) I thought it was so interesting to learn about how involved Sunday was with all creating all the products in her line. Sunday isn’t only the CEO of her brand, but she’s the formulator of her products! Talk about total #BossBabe.

(Also, they just released the Auto Correct Brightening and Depuffing Eye Contour Cream on Sephora.com for Rouge members ONLY, so check it out while you have the chance!)

During story time, Jen treated my skin with some classic products. We started with the Martian Mattifying Melting Water-Gel Tone. She used this specifically for me because I did explain that I tend to get pretty oily in my t-zone. It transforms from a green gel into a very thin and lightweight water oner that is said to help with tightening pores, clarify and remove oils. Looking into the ingredients, I understand how it’s going to do all of that. It contains Bentonite Clay, which mattifies, while the green tea and marshmallow soothes the skin. (Yeah, marshmallow!) I did like how lightweight it was so that was a definite plus!

Because I still have some issues with breakouts and texture here and there, went in with the U.F.O. Ultra-Clarifying Face Oil. I do advise you to be careful with this because though it’s a phenomenal product, it does contain Salicylic Acid, which, in some cases can cause dryness and peeling, especially if you overuse it. In case you want to try it out anyways, get a sample from Sephora and test it on a small part of your neck for a couple days. This should give you a better idea of if you’re sensitive to it!

We also went into the C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum with is basically the Beyoncé of Vitamin C’s. (I refuse to apologize for all my Beyoncé references.) This is perfect for lightening your dark marks and brightening your overall complexion. When she first applied it to my skin, I immediately smelled oranges, which I’m a big fan of. I’m also a fan of the glow that I got. I’m definitely interested in testing this out some more in the future!

Last, but not least, we went into the Tidal Brightening Enzyme Water Cream. It’s perfect for brightening (I sense a trend!) your complexion, which we could all use during this crazy Virginia weather. (I’m convinced Mother Nature just said screw fall and skipped right into winter.) It’s a thin consistency and absorbs very nicely into the skin and keeps you hydrated. I left Sephora extremely hydrated!

All in all, I had a fantastic time during the Skincare Affair at Sephora Tysons Corner and would totally jump at the chance to go again. That’s why you’ll definitely see me on Saturday, December 9 during the Beauty Circuit with Hourglass, Fresh and Living Proof in Sephora Montgomery Mall! Will I be seeing you there?

Have you all tried out any of these products? I’d love to get your thoughts on them! Let me know in the comments!

Although people tell me time and time again to take it easy with my skincare, I’m very open to testing out new products. (Don’t do this. You’re skin will hate you!) With that being said, I was very excited to learn that I had been entered to receive the newest Influenster Originis VoxBox.

I was excited to receive this because Origins has products that are not tested on animals, and use natural ingredients that are supposed to do wonders for your skin. Inside, I found five sample skincare products. These included two moisturizers, (day and night) a face wash, mask, as well as an eye cream. The one thing I was disappointed about was the fast that we didn’t get an exfoliant.

I’ll begin by saying that the stand out product was without a doubt the Origins Purifying Charcoal Mask. I’ve heard some people rave about this and I was excited to try it out, especially being that it’s a charcoal-based mask. It’s a typical mask that you let sit for 15 minutes then rinse off. (Sorry peel lovers!) I use this once a week, at night and find that my skin is much softer the next morning. If you have congested pores, I would look into this because charcoal works well to detoxify your pores and clear out the bacteria. I would definitely purchase a full size of this.

The Checks and Balances Frothy face wash was pretty interesting. It has a bit of a minty, refreshing scent, but the thing that I really like about this is the fact that it does give me a nice lather. This may be a mental thing, but when soaps and face washes foam up, I feel as though I’m getting a deeper cleanse. I found that I have do go in twice to wash off my makeup, but I don’t have a problem with this, due to the fact that this wasn’t advertised as a makeup remover.

The GinZing Energy boosting moisturizer is something that I’m not too sure how I feel about. Does it keep me moisturized throughout the day? Yes. Is it energy boosting? The smell definitely wakes me me. This has a very poignant citrus scent, which isn’t something I would recommend for those of you with sensitive skin. When looking through some reviews, I saw that people have explained that this caused them to break out. Fortunately, it did not happen to me, but I just wanted to make sure you all are aware of that. I did like the consistency of this, but I think I will probably back to my Belif Aqua Bomb.

Sticking to moisturizers, let’s discuss the High-Potency Night-A-Mins Mineral enriched renewal cream. Much like the GinZing energy boosting moisturizer, this has a citrus scent, which concerns me for those that have sensitive skin. This is a thicker cream that contains Vitamin C and E, which is great for brightening your skin. Unfortunately, I’m not the biggest fan of this. Though this is oil-free, I found that my skin did produce a lot of oils throughout the night with this. I generally produce more oils while I sleep, so I’m going to continue to monitor this and just ensure that I’m not just being extremely picky when it comes to this.

The last thing is the GinZing Refreshing eye cream. Like the moisturizers, this also has citrus scent, so those of you with sensitive skin: proceed with caution. I’ve used this every night for the past two weeks and I haven’t noticed any drastic changes. I’ll be honest and say that I don’t have really bad dark circles, but they are there and I haven’t noticed a lightening effect on it. As for depuffing, I’m probably not the best to discuss this. I have hereditary bags under my eyes, so it’s hard for me to really differentiate puffiness and bags. Overall, I’m going to continue to use this because it does have some good ingredients that I would like to keep in my skincare regimen. Also those of you with deeper skin tones, this is not a clear cream. It does give me a bit of a white cast, looking a bit ashy, so if you do purchase this, I would suggest you keep this in your nightly routine.

Overall, I’m very grateful for everything I received in the box. I even was invited to an in-store event! Thank you so much Influenster and Origins for sending me this box. I’m definitely going to look into buying full sizes of the charcoal mask and the frothy face wash.

Please let me know your thoughts on Origins and these products. I’d love to get your thoughts on it! Also let me know if you’d want me to dedicate a blog post exclusively to Influenster on what it is and how to use it. I’d love to help you guys score free makeup.